Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks Morning Show: Bedard Playing in Tonight’s Showcase
For hockey starved fans of the Chicago Blackhawks, you may want to tune-in today. Tonight’s prospects contest faces off against the St. Louis Blues prospects at 6pm–and will be Connor Bedard’s debut.
Albeit it in an exhibition setting.
It looks like Connor Bedard will be playing on a line with Nick Lardis and Colton Dach. #Blackhawks pic.twitter.com/akCHp5I6rT
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) September 16, 2023
Bedard will be joined on a line by fellow 2023 draftee Nick Lardis and Colton Dach when they faceoff tonight. It was expected that Bedard would only play one of the two games and it’s tonight that Blackhawks fans anticipating his play will want to tune in.
But the weekend should be must watch hockey regardless of whether Bedard is in or not.
Three Blackhawks Thoughts Before Tonight’s Game
The Athletic’s Scott Powers posted the lines for the game, and it’s certainly heavy with a lot of the top end talent in the prospect pool.
Blackhawks lines and pairing for tonight
Lardis-Bedard-Dach
Misiak-Saarela-Rolston
Savoie-Ludwinski-Hayes
Felcman-Marcel-PharandKorchinski-Allan
Kaiser-Crevier
Del Mastro-Perrott— Scott Powers (@ByScottPowers) September 16, 2023
With that, a few thoughts
#1: Of the names here, the pairings on the blue line is of most interest to me. Wyatt Kaiser is intriguing in that he’s one of of many who will be fighting for ice time in both the preseason and regular season. Of the three between Alex Vlasic, Isaak Phillips, and him, Kaiser likely has the slight edge as of now–in my opinion.
#2:Â Korchinski and Allan continues the direct line from their previous season in Seattle. Del Mastro, who is one of the more underrated defenseman in the pool, would be fun to see shuffled up to some big boy minutes as the game wears on.
#3:Â The Samuel Savoie–Paul Ludwinski-Gavin Hayes line has the potential to be as much fun as the top line. It will balance out the physicality of Savoie with the speed of Ludwinski and scoring release of Hayes. It’s one to watch throughout the evening.
It’s expected that prospects bench boss and Rockford head man Anders Sorensen will shuffle things as things go on. The possibilities are endless–and fascinating.
But man, it’s good to have hockey back.